


Anxiety

by sheswrites



Series: none of it was wasted. [2]
Category: Until Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-17
Updated: 2015-09-17
Packaged: 2018-04-21 05:20:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4816589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sheswrites/pseuds/sheswrites
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happens when Chris reaches his breaking point? Who protects the protector?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Anxiety

Ashley looks up and immediately realises that Chris is having a panic attack. She's had them before, long familiar with the sharp pressure in her throat and her heart pounding in her chest as she struggles with the urge to fight or flee. She stops and shuts her eyes. Now is not the time for this. Takes one breath, then another, somehow managing to swallow past the burning lump in her throat. Forcing all her anxiety into a box for her to deal with later. Chris needs her.

She opens her eyes. 

Chris is leaning against the desk, rocking back and forth with his arms wrapped tight around his body. And, without a second thought, she's stepping over into his space, nudging his legs apart to stand between them and wrapping her arms around him. He’s trembling. 

"Hey, hey, Chris? Hey, c'mon easy now." she murmurs, loud enough for only them to hear. She's not surprised that he’s near hyperventilating, and starts breathing in the steady 7-4-8 pattern her college councillor taught her when she was freaking over exams. It takes a minute for him to come back to himself, lost somewhere down the rabbit hole of his anxiety, but when he starts to copy her, breathing slow and even against her collarbone, a part of her goes weak with relief.

She continues rubbing his back, while he gets himself back together, bringing one hand up to swirl gentle patterns idly on the nape of his neck. A couple of minutes later Chris breathes deep, taking one last shuddering breath before pulling away from her shoulder, and looking at her. His glasses are fogged and grimy.

"Better?" Ashley asks, concern easily written on her face.

"Yeah" he croaks, "Thanks Ash".

The world could've ended in the five minutes they were caught up in their own private bubble, and in some ways, it already had. Emily was still dead and the wendigoes were still out there. But they are alive, and they were okay. They were no where near being at the end of all this, but now is not the time for either of them to fall apart.

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by this (http://parkaklimer.tumblr.com/post/129163536870/if-you-choose-to-shoot-emily-chris-does-not-take) gif set on tumblr by parkaklimer! 
> 
> "If you choose to shoot Emily, Chris does not take it well, verging on a total breakdown in the background. He canonically sees the most deaths of anyone on almost any route taken. No matter what he ends the night broken. The protective one is the one who needs to be protected the most."
> 
> Short and sweet again. My writing abilities are a big fat WIP at the moment. Thankyou for reading!


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